Resistance
by MasterCroissant
Summary: Bertholdt and Annie are tortured for being traitorous; Reiner knows how to save them. (Heavily based off of Resistance by Muse.)


One scream after another echoed in the halls of the dungeon, bounced off the walls, and forced themselves into Reiner's ears. Even covering his ears couldn't block the hideous sounds from reaching his ear drums, vibrating them and making him somehow more alert than he previously was. The idea of both of his lovers- not just one- getting punishment for trying to follow through with his plan was driving him mad. Psychologically, he didn't want to think about what they were doing to them.

But another scream confirmed that it was so much worse than he could ever possibly imagine. He wished that he could take their places, and relieve their burdens. The one thing Bertholdt and Annie didn't deserve, they got, and it was in turn for a poorly executed plan. When he edged near the entrance, he could smell the copper from their blood, which seemed as though it was spattered all over the floor. Or perhaps he was just imagining it all. He thought the worst but hoped for the best.

Another scream, feminine this time, reverberated off the walls and shook Reiner where he stood. He was lucky he hadn't been noticed yet. He nudged the door ever so carefully with his foot. Positive that if he got caught it would mean more suffering for them, he nudged it again and slapped a hand to his mouth. It wasn't as though he wasn't used to tragedies, blood, gore, death… But it was that he was unaccustomed to people he loved ever so dearly getting treated like less than dirt, and looking so absolutely torn. He'd seen it once on Bertholdt, when Berik was eaten when they were children. He'd never want to see it again, and swore that he would never let anything less than a smile grace Bertholdt's face.

He failed.

And Annie, usually stoic in nature, was now wearing a pained mask; pained was an understatement. Her shirt, in the back, had been torn, and there were marks that were seemingly refusing to heal.

Another slash and a scream.

And worse, to Reiner's own ears, he heard the muffled scream of something akin to 'Annie!' from Bertholdt's side. The one word, with so much pain and concern in it, clenched his heart and made it beat almost irregularly, uncomfortably.

Heavy boots walked over to Bertholdt, and a large hand pushed its way into his brunet hair, grasping it and pulling his head up so he could have eye contact with whoever the perpetrator of this obscene behavior was. Another had the same grip on Annie on the other side. Luckily neither of them had looked towards the door to see Reiner standing, awkwardly, completely still, waiting for his chance to strike.

"You came out of your crystal, huh? Did you think doing so would save him? What if we killed him now, instead? Then would your efforts from before be useless? Why don't you tell us what you were after?"

A vigorous shake of her head told Reiner just how loyal and dedicated she was. The thought made his heart throb again. While he had never thought badly of her, he had never seen her altogether so dedicated.

And then to Bertholdt, "What was your objective?" Asked a man, this time.

"Tell your objective and we'll spare you and Leonhardt. Don't tell us and we'll kill her before we kill you."

A sob erupted- no, exploded from Bertholdt, giving the man what he wanted. He yelled another 'Tell us!', but Bertholdt just shook his head, and sounded almost like he was pleading for them to understand the importance of classified information. A sudden slash and a scream resounded from Bertholdt, and in turn, from Annie, who let her head drop while she listened to him. The person that held her hair let go and left, presumably to get another weapon. When they returned, they poured something into her cuts- something white and grainy in texture that Reiner could not quite see.

A shriek, this time, a shriek and thrashing came as a reaction. It hurt Reiner to see- physically. He felt as though his heart had literally shattered, just hearing her shriek like that. And Bertholdt must have felt the same, because he immediately thrashed and yelled until he was hoarse into his gag.

"Tell us!" Came the furious voice near Annie. She just whimpered and shook her head, looking up at Bertholdt to make sure he was alright, and, upon seeing his limbs were all intact, dropped her head once more. Reiner couldn't tell if it was out of shame or embarrassment.

However, once she had made her nape vulnerable, there was a blade against it. Her eyes opened wide and she looked at Bertholdt, who had the same sort of position.

"We're giving you one more chance. Tell us or we'll kill you here, and we'll kill you now."

Both of their eyes were watering, and Reiner could tell it was nothing but love that they held for each other. However, they remained silent, and the men- presumably people apart of the Military Police- raised their weapons. Thinking on his feet, Reiner looked around hurriedly until he noted a discarded syringe that was in the hallway. It must have slid out after they stuck Bertholdt with it to keep him quiet. He took it, and, fitting himself against the wall where the door would swing, threw it down the hall. He heard it shatter and heard the voices pique with concern at the sudden, and unexpected disruption. They moved towards the door, heavy boots walking out and throwing the door open.

"Hello?" One of the men sounded nearly bemused as he walked out. It was Reiner's time to attack, and though he was held behind the door, he pulled the man to him by his throat and squeezed until he was unconscious. The other man, thinking better, moved back into the room, baring his weapons. As if Reiner would be afraid of the sharp metal. He leaned down to be positive that the man on the ground was not dead, and sure enough, a faint pulse was felt. He moved inside after that, looking at the man with little to no hesitation in his eyes.

Out of the corner of his eyes, however, he also notices Annie and Bertholdt look up, and though both extremely tired and in pain, thoroughly relieved to see a familiar face, a familiar body, and feel the familiar atmosphere of warmth. He doesn't let himself look for too long, and instead grabs the blades by their blade, ignoring the cut of his hands. He was careful not to let the blades cut too deep, and soon enough felt the blood spread on his palms, and noted the bright red against his pale skin. The stranger is intimidated then, and let go, giving him control. He moved his hand forward, dropping the blade. Once more, he choked them until they lost consciousness and took up the blades in his hands again. When he turned, he surveyed the area. So their hands were tied to their back with tape, which would be frustrating to remove. They were bound tight, too, completely together. That would make it more difficult to not draw blood when he freed them.

God, the place was absolutely repulsive and smelled of sweat and something putrid. He didn't quite want to know just now, but he wouldn't put it past the Military Police to force them to wet themselves. Looking between the two, he figured with Bertholdt freed, it would be easier to free Annie, who seemed to have gotten more of the physical abuse than Bertholdt. Bertholdt didn't seem far from Annie, regardless, but was clearly less maimed, except for the pain clearly written on his face.

There was blood everywhere; dried, new, drying. Reds of all colors stained the grey stones that made up the floor, the walls, the tools laid on the floor. He assumed they rarely washed the place, as it was secluded and very rarely used. Executions were done publicly, barbarically. Torture was rare, but if it was necessary, it was used. Reiner was glad that he arrived at the time he did, because he had heard about Sawney and Bean, and knew that they would have done the same to Annie and Bertholdt. Of course they wouldn't have killed them quite yet, but it was a test of the mind. Clearly they both failed. Looking between them- Annie, strewn with marks that were still bleeding and red around the edges of the crimson marks that made a sharp contrast against her ivory skin- and Bertholdt, whose eyes were closed as if trying to block out the rest of the pain, the rest of the torture, with some marks on his arms and legs here and there, clothes torn where the marks were, presumably.

Bertholdt was cut first; Reiner using the blades he had picked up to carefully cut the tape binding his hands together behind him. As soon as they were free, Bertholdt brought them to peel off the remaining tape, whimpering in pain. There were cuts on his wrists prior to the tape. Bertholdt sat back, looking at Reiner and pulling down the gag.

"Y-you're here for—you're here for us?" he asked, quietly, his eyes wide and watery. Reiner had to look away and clench his jaw, so ashamed to have let the two of them endure this. He looked over at Annie, who still had her head dropped in shame, he thought. He walked over to her and severed the binds of the tape. Copying Bertholdt, she brought her hands to where she could see them, and pulled off the tape, making little to no noise at all to express her pain. After the successful removal, she pulled down her gag and looked up at Reiner, not saying anything, but saying everything at the same time.

He leaned down and picked her up, bringing her over to Bertholdt to let them reunite first. And they did, and Reiner simply watched, waiting until he could embrace them both and feel as though they were sufficiently safe and in his arms again.

Annie moved on her knees over to Bertholdt, reaching for him and pressing her hands to her face. A whimper, a small sniffle, and an attempt to crawl in his lap. He picked her up, as he was slightly stronger than she was, and held her close, pressing his lips to her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, her eyelids. She shifted uncomfortably, due to her back, and looked at him, hands moving to her face. A sob slipped past her lips, and she leaned forward, kissing him with the strength of a million words and a million thoughts. There was so much to be read from the single kiss alone. Afterwards, after they had sufficiently held each other and assured the other's safety, they turned to Reiner and reached forward to pull him in. He moved his arms around either of them, holding them to him.

Unexpectedly, he also cried, a sob coming from his monstrous chest. An apology was forced out, spit out through his wracking sobs and trembling jaw, and it was heard, through his garble, and accepted. After a minute, he stood, picking Annie up with him, and adjusting her so her back was touching no part of his clothes. He'd be a madman to venture out in the freezing cold with people who were so vulnerable and exposed, so he slung her over his shirt and said nothing, offering a hand to Bertholdt, who gratefully took it and stood. Looking around, he noted the jacket on one of the men who tortured them, and clumsily moved towards him, and took it off, piling it onto Annie's back. Bertholdt wouldn't mind the cold with his heat, he figured, so he walked towards the exit.

Safe and sound, they were in his protection now. But then again, last time they had been in his protection this had happened.

He wouldn't think of that, and would instead focus on getting them home, in bed, and with medical help and food and water, and fresh clothing. Then he would focus on where they would go from here.


End file.
